President Barzani calls for peace in Khurmatu

The clashes and violence in Khurmatu have been a source of concern, said the President of the Kurdistan Region, Masoud Barzani, on Tuesday.

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The clashes and violence in Khurmatu have been a source of concern, said the President of the Kurdistan Region, Masoud Barzani, on Tuesday.

On Sunday, clashes intensified between the Iraqi Shia militia Hashd al-Shaabi and Peshmerga forces in the town of Khurmatu, located in the southern part of Kirkuk Province.

Following the clashes, 10 Peshmerga soldiers were killed and wounded while 12 Hashd al-Shaabi militiamen were killed, and over 20 injured.

Although a ceasefire was declared between both sides on Sunday evening, the Kurdish civilians in Khurmatu, who fought the militia alongside the Peshmerga, refused to abide by the ceasefire and insisted on dismissing Hashd al-Shaabi from the town.

On Tuesday, President Barzani released a statement and called for an end to the instability that has risen in the town.

The president asked the Kurdistan Region officials and Peshmerga commanders in the area to engage with Hashd al-Shaabi leaders, who aim to address the violence in Khurmatu, and restore peace and stability in the town.

“The events of recent days in the town of Khurmatu are a source of concern for us. It's very unfortunate that several Peshmerga and civilians have been martyred and wounded,” Barzani said.

“The Peshmerga forces must defend the people of the area and prevent aggression against the people of Khurmatu," the statement reads.

Recently, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Peshmerga Ministry released a statement following the clashes affirming, “We ask our brothers in Hashd al-Shaabi to control their militants and send the rioters to court."

"We ask Hashd al-Shaabi to withdraw all their militants in the center of Khurmatu to implement our actual duties, which is keeping our defense line in the fight against Da’esh in the area," the statement continued, using the Arabic pejorative term for the Islamic State (IS).

Khurmatu houses diverse ethnic and religious groups including Kurds, Shia and Sunni Turkmen, and Shia and Sunni Arabs.

Instability started in the town ever since the militia entered Khurmatu last month.

 

Reporting by Mewan Dolamari
Editing by Karzan Sulaivany and Ava Homa